China urges US caution on Taiwan, calls it 'most important issue'

China's Defense Ministry called Taiwan the "most important issue" in US-China relations, urging Washington to exercise "maximum prudence" ahead of a meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. Spokesman Jiang Bin said maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait is the "main common denominator" between Beijing and Washington, and expressed willingness to strengthen dialogue and pragmatic military cooperation. The remarks came before Xi's first US state visit in eleven years. The issue looms over the summit after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said arms sales to Taiwan must be weighed against US defensive needs. Washington has not approved a $14 billion weapons package for Taipei, which would be the largest in the island's history.